Whirlpool Corporation (WHR) is launching a new recycling initiative that offers consumers a responsible alternative to throwing out their used refrigerator water filters. The company is introducing Refresh & Recycle, the first water filter recycling program by Whirlpool Water. Through a partnership with g2 revolution, an innovative recycling company, every recycled refrigerator water filter is used in a new material rather than ending up in a landfill.

Whirlpool Corporation recommends that consumers replace their refrigerator water filter every six months for optimum performance. Rather than dropping used filters into the trash, consumers can take advantage of the company’s new Refresh & Recycle mail-in program; a smart and simple way to recycle used refrigerator water filters. Each recycled filter means one less filter in our landfills. Recycled filters will be tested for material content and transformed into concrete aggregate used to build roads and other concrete structures.

“Our company has fostered a culture of responsibility for more than 100 years,” said Maureen Sertich, North American sustainability lead for Whirlpool Corporation. “Our appliances are some of the most energy-efficient in the world. Whirlpool Corporation’s corporate sustainability strategy is focused on reducing the environmental impact from our products at each stage of the lifecycle.” The company’s sustainability initiatives are aimed at all aspects of the business from materials and processes to product technologies and end of life recycling.

“This new Refresh & Recycle program not only gives our consumers a great option to manage their water filter disposal, but also helps them optimize the performance of their refrigerator water filtration by encouraging replacement of filters every six months, ” said Daniel Ehler, Sr. Marketing Manager, Whirlpool Consumer Products. “As an industry leader, we understand that creating a greener tomorrow is important to our consumers and this program is another step in that direction.”

Recycling mailers are easy to use and can be purchased at g2 revolution’s second life® store at g2rev.com for use in the continental U.S. The program will recycle used water filters from any of Whirlpool Corporation’s U.S. brands and also accepts used refrigerator water filters of any other brand or manufacturer.

The Refresh and Recycle water filter recycling kit has an MSRP of $8.99. Consumers will also receive a promo code for 10% off their next refrigerator water filter, redeemable on whirlpoolstores.com and valid on participating Whirlpool Corporation brands (Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air & Amana)

General Electric, a household name for more than a century in part for making households easier to run, is leaving the home.

The company is selling the division that invented the toaster in 1905 and now sells refrigerators, stoves and laundry machines. GE instead wants to focus on building industrial machines such as aircraft engines, locomotives, gas-fired turbines and medical imaging equipment — which are much bigger and more complex than washers, and more profitable.

“They are no longer going to be a consumer company,” says Andrew Inkpen, a professor at the Thunderbird School of Global Management who studies GE.

GE, based in Fairfield, Connecticut, Monday announced the sale of its appliance division to the Swedish appliance maker Electrolux for $3.3 billion. Electrolux will still sell appliances under the GE brand in attempt to leverage the company’s long history.

GE has sold devices to people for its entire 122-year history, starting with the light bulb, which was invented by company founder Thomas Edison. But in the first half of this year, GE’s appliances and lighting division accounted for just 8 percent of the company’s industrial revenues and 2 percent of its profit.

GE hopes that selling big, complex products such as power generators and oil and gas equipment to other businesses will boost profit and once again endear it to investors.

GE is the only remaining member of the first Dow Jones Industrial Average, calculated in 1896. As recently as 2004 it had the world’s largest market value. But since then, GE has frustrated shareholders. Its shares are 22 percent below where they were a decade ago. The S&P 500 is up 79 percent over the same period.

GE got into businesses such as media or insurance because they promised new sources of profit, not because of any competitive advantage the company possessed. Investors found the structure unwieldy, and put their money elsewhere.

Heavy exposure to commercial and residential mortgages through its finance division threatened GE’s existence during the financial crisis. It needed funds from a government liquidity program and a $3 billion investment from Warren Buffet to shore up its finances.

Now GE wants to be only in businesses that can benefit from the company’s global scale, experience with complex projects, and technical ability.

GE Chief Financial Officer Jeff Bornstein said in an interview Monday that the company is becoming “Less of a conglomerate and more of a global infrastructure company. That’s where we deliver our most value.”

In July the company spun off its consumer credit card business into a new company, Synchrony Financial. In recent years it has sold NBC Universal and its insurance operations and it is gradually shrinking its sprawling financial company, called GE Capital.

In June GE agreed to buy the energy and power generation operations of the French engineering company Alstom for $17 billion. And over the last several years it has spent $14 billion acquiring oil and gas-related companies.

The company’s strategy becomes clearer when one visits its global research and development campus near Albany, New York, where 2,000 people work on next-generation products and basic research.

One team has been working for 28 years on a type of ceramic that is only now being perfected. The material, which can withstand tremendous heat but won’t shatter like most ceramics, will allow aircraft engines to run hotter and save fuel. It will also be used to help gas-fired power generators produce electricity more efficiently.

A novel electric power transformer being developed will help shrink the size and cost of underwater oil and gas pumping equipment — and also make offshore wind power less expensive.

That kind of technical research ability wouldn’t make a sitcom any funnier and it wouldn’t give GE an edge when offering a credit card. It might make a better washing machine, but not enough to boost prices much in a fast-moving retail market.

GE’s appliance business also doesn’t have the global scale of GE’s other businesses or of its competitors. And it no longer aligns with GE’s bigger strategy.

“It’s become harder and harder to tell the story about how the GE appliance business is aligned with the General Electric Co.,” said Chip Blankenship, CEO of GE Appliances Monday.

Christopher Glynn, an analyst at Oppenheimer & Co., said the company now has the potential to show the strong results it was once famous for.

“It’s still GE, it’s still huge,” says Glynn, an analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. “But this is a viable reset.”

The move may confuse those watching reruns of the NBC sitcom “30 Rock,” though. Alec Baldwin’s character on the show, which takes place in the GE Building at New York City’s Rockefeller Center, is a GE executive in charge of microwave ovens.

Now GE doesn’t own NBC or sell microwave ovens, and NBC’s buyer, Comcast, is working to replace the giant neon “GE” that crowns 30 Rock.

If your dishwasher is getting loud or making a weird noise, you should check the heater fan, motor, water-inlet valve, and pump. Sometimes the bearings in the heater fan may get worn out or rust. If this happens, it may become very noisy, either grinding on the bearings, or scraping against the rust. If this happens you need to replace the fan motor. Sometimes, a fan blade may come loose, and you need to replace it.

Sometimes it’s the motor that makes the noise you hear. The motor has bearings in it which may become worn or get rusty. When the bearings get worn, they allow the shaft to wobble which can get quite loud. If there is a spin seal leak, water may get inside the motor, washing the bearing grease away. If the spin seal is leaking, you’ll notice water leaking from under the dishwasher.

There is also a disc attached to the top of the motor called a slinger. It sometimes breaks off and spins around the motor’s shaft while it turns, causing some noises. You will need to replace the motor if the bearings are bad. You also need to replace the motor if the slinger is broken as well.

Newer dishwashers may make a squealing or rattling noise on the first run. This is because it has not had any water in it yet, and the motor seals are dry. You may hear this in a unit that hasn’t been run in a week or more as well. You should operate the dishwasher regularly to keep the sump water from getting smelly, and to keep the seals lubricated. You can add a quart of water to the sump before running it.

Rattling noises may be produced by dishes rattling inside the dishwasher due to the water pressure from the sprayer arms on the dishes. To determine if the rattling is a loading issue, run the unit empty. If the sound is persistent, it may be that there is debris in the pump.

dishwasher water-inlet valves are noted to make a hum that lasts about 60-90 seconds several times during a washing cycle. This hum is a different hum than the sound of the motor running.

A rhythmic knocking or thumping sound may be caused the sprayer arms hitting something as they go around and around. Rearrange the dishes and resume the wash.

A solenoid makes a snap sound when it opens. This happens about six times during each load.

Pipes rattling or banging may be caused by a water hammer effect. Water hammer sounds are caused by a valve closing in the system, and yet the water in the pipe is still flowing because of its kinetic energy. The sound is caused by the water slamming into the closed section of pipe. A plumber can install an anti-hammer device.

Small objects can sometimes get stuck in the pump. When this occurs, you’ll need to open the pump and then remove the item that is making the noise or replace the pump. The dishwasher pump is usually mounted directly to the motor and runs off the motor as well. The pump is also attached to the bottom of your dishwasher.

Washers
Front Load Machines: High-efficiency and front load machines use less water and energy, and that can cause build-up from detergent residue, dirt, grime, and pet fur, reducing performance and making them stinky.

There are two areas to maintain: The drain hose and rubber molding inside the door.

Drain Hose: Most front loading washers have a drain hose that needs to be maintained monthly. Overlook this, and water can back up into the washer’s drum and cause a leak. Maintain by following these steps:

-Locate the access panel (it is usually on the front of the washer in either the lower right or left side).
-Pop off the access panel and locate a small black hose with a cap.
-Before cleaning the hose, grab a small bucket or container to catch and hold the water that will be located inside, plus an old towel to mop up any spills.
-Open the access door, gently unclip the hose and remove the cap.
-Hold a finger over the tip of the hose and aim the hose down into the bucket.
-Remove your finger and let the water flush out (Don’t panic if a lot of soapy water comes out! This is normal).
-Once all the water has emptied, replace the cap, re-clip the hose and replace the access cover.

Rubber Molding: Inspect the rubber door seal for mold and mildew.

-Pull back the seal and look inside every crevice.
-If there is mildew, mix ½ cup of bleach with a liter of warm water. Moisten a clean cloth and wipe the rubber collar to remove the mildew.
-If there is no mildew, use a warm wet cloth to wipe out any gunk. Then wipe out the detergent, bleach and fabric softener dispensers.
-Clean the top, sides and front of the washer, then leave the washer door open to dry.

Dryers
Like the washer, there are many new energy efficient models that use less energy, remove wrinkles and gently steam clean clothes, saving many trips to the dry cleaners.

This section does not discuss how to clean the dryer vent hose. Remember it is important to clean it at least twice a year to remove lint buildup and avoid fires!

In addition, the lint vent and trap need to be cleaned. Dryer sheets leave a film on the lint screen that can lead to problems because it blocks the airflow, making the dryer run longer, use more energy, and burn out the heating unit sooner. Keeping the dryer lint screen clean can help double the life of a dryer.

-Remove the screen and pull off all visible lint.
-Fill a sink or bucket with hot water.
-Add dish detergent to the water and agitate it to mix in the detergent.
-Place the lint trap into the water and allow it to soak for a few minutes. Use an old toothbrush to gently scrape the screen to remove any remaining residue. Dry with a soft towel and set aside while cleaning the trap.

If you should have any questions regarding this contact 5 Star Appliance (210) 846-2796

Here Are Some Other April Promotions:
Customers who refer us to friends and family will receive $10 off their next service.

If you leave 5 Star Appliance a 5 Star review on Bing, Yahoo, Google, Angie’s List or Home advisor, email us the link to your review and receive a gift card in the mail. Please email a link of review to info@5starappliance.com with contact details.

Please contact us with any questions or concerns. Check us out on Facebook and like our page today. Thank you

Refrigerators – Loose or Moldy Rubber Seals, Lighting Issues:
A refrigerator that has a worn gasket seal usually has some sign of black mold on the rubber. Mold is usually on the interior rubber, but it can also be noticable on the exterior as well. A loose or worn seal allows the cold air to escape from the refrigerator, causing it to work much harder than it should have to, cycling on/off more often to keep the refrigerator interior cold. When an appliance works inefficiently, it uses more energy and cannot keep a constant interior temperature which can also lead to more food spoilage. A loose or moldy gasket should be replaced by a technician.

Seals tend to loosen over time and there’s nothing you can really do to prevent it; just be ready to take action should you notice mold or a gasket that is loose or pulling away from the refrigerator. This can apply to any type of refrigeratorappliance including the old beer fridge, beverage or wine coolers. If the refrigerator is more than 10 years old, you can gain substantial energy savings by upgrading to a more energy efficient model.

The refrigerator light should come on when the door is opened. If it doesn’t, your bulb may need changing. Bring your old bulb with you when you shop or jot down the specs. Appliances require specially designed light bulbs. If the bulb is not the problem, your refrigerator light switch might be stuck in the closed position. It’s usually found on the side edge of the door. Check it for dirt/grime – a quick cleaning usually loosens the switch.

Messy sticky shelving, spilled liquids are usually a good sign that your refrigerator cleaning is long overdue. Refrigerator cleaning should be done routinely. That way you can discard spoiled foods, rotate fresh foods and take stock of what’s in there.

Freezers – Icicles, Thawed Foods, Freezer Burn:
When you find icicles hanging just inside the refrigerator freezer door, it either signals that the freezer compartment door was left ajar, or you have a gasket seal issue. Warm air is coming into the freezer, causing it to form icicles or ice drops on the roof of the freezer compartment. As with a refrigerator gasket problem, the seal needs to be changed by a technician, or the refrigerator/freezer upgraded to a more energy efficient unit.Freezer burn is usually a good indication of decreased food quality. Freezer burn is not likely to harm you, but it does change the texture and taste of foods. You can often trim off a small section of freezer burn, but when it encompasses the whole steak, it needs to go.

Though the type of freezer can speed freezer burn, it’s not usually a freezer problem. It’s rather an indication of poor food storage methods. Frozen foods also tend to freezer burn more quickly in an automatic defrost style freezer, due to the fluctuations in temperature. If the situation is extreme even with proper storage, your freezer might have a problem maintaining a proper constant temperature. A visit from a repair technician may be needed to confirm and repair the problem.

Should you find freezer foods to be in a partial or full thawed state, it would signal issues with the freezer. If the freezer door has been closed properly, thawed foods may signal that the freezer has reached the end of its useful life. Freezers generally have a long life, the longest of all home appliances and unfortunately, there usually is no sign to indicate it is shutting down, until you go to retreive freezer food and notice a problem. If the freezer is still under warranty, start the process for repairs. If it’s an older model, it’s time to upgrade to a more energy efficient model.
These are a few things you can do on your own to check out your appliances but if all else fails it might be time to call 5 Star Appliance (210) 846-2796

Slow Cooker – Cooking Tip

Food being drawn out of a slow cooker is a sure sign that there’s too much in the cooker. As foods simmer, when there’s too much in the pot, a vacuum or siphon effect is formed as air and steam is pushed out. That causes foods to be exhausted out, down the sides of the slow cooker and onto the counter. To stop the flow, just remove a little of the food content to bring the level down about 1″ from the top of the cooker.

Kitchen Appliance Care:
Kitchen appliance maintenance is probably going to make the most difference in your home overall, as the machines here are generally used quite often. Though a broken kitchen appliance should usually be handled by a service professional, keeping them clean and using them properly is something that homeowners should pay attention to if they are to function well over their lifetimes.

If a gas appliance stops working, check to see if the pilot light has gone out. If you have the manufacturer’s instructions handy, they may show you how to safely relight the pilot yourself. Wait until you have a full load of dishes before running the dishwasher; this will not only save you money on energy and water bills, but can also extend the life of your appliance, too.

A freezer that contains too much frost cannot function at its best; whenever frost gets to be 1/4-inch thick in your freezer, it’s time to defrost. Has a burner on your electric stove stopped working? They are generally inexpensive and easily replaced. Yellow flames in a gas stove are an indication of a problem. Flames should always be blue, so seeing other colors means that you’re not running at full efficiency; you may want to call a service professional.

Washer & Dryer Appliance Maintenance:
Washing machines and dryers are making an appearance in more and more American homes. Just like kitchen appliances, maintenance, and proper care will be a factor in the efficiency and performance of your laundry machines. If the hoses in your washing machine are old, consider replacing them with the tougher metal hoses available at hardware stores. If your washing machine rattles when it runs, it may need leveling. For most items, lowering the water temperature to warm wash and cold rinse will get your clothes clean and reduce your energy bills.

Clean the lint trap before you use your dryer; this will prevent a fire hazard, save you energy, and make your clothes dry faster. Regardless of what kind of exhaust tubing you have, clean the outside vent once a year and make sure it opens when the dryer is on and closes properly when the dryer is off. And remember, don’t let lint and debris accumulate under a dryer or it can become a fire hazard!

Electricity & Appliance Maintenance:
Sometimes, caring for an appliance doesn’t involve the unit at all, but instead deals with that appliance’s power source. Larger appliances shouldn’t be powered by an extension cord if at all avoidable. If it is a necessity, make sure that extension cord connections are secure and that the extension cord is the appropriate size for your needs. If an appliance stops working, test the outlet with a lamp or radio. With gas appliances, it is important to remember that older models often contain a flame that’s constantly burning. Never store paints, solvents, and other chemicals anywhere near an appliance with a pilot light.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays

This is the time of year for family and friends so that means having extra guests overnight. Get your washer and dryer checked out now – Free Inspection of Dryer Vents and Water Inlet Hoses.

Some Of Our December Promotions:
Customers who refer us to friends and family will receive $10 off their next service.

If you leave 5 Star Appliance a 5 Star review on Bing, Yahoo, Google, Angie’s List or Home advisor, email us the link to your review and receive a holiday gift card in the mail. Please email a link of review to info@5starappliance.com with contact details.

Refer a friend to our Facebook page and have them like our page and get $10 off your next service.

The Trustworthy Oven

When your making your list and checking it twice, don’t forget to add your oven this holiday season. The holidays are a time for family and friends to gather and eat, which means your oven is working overtime and those stuck-on spills are a gift you can’t return. Keep your oven off the naughty list this holiday season by giving your oven what it really wants this year, a deep cleaning.

A coal-filled oven. Do you have lumps of coal in more places then your stocking? Be sure to check for burned food that is caked inside gas vents or on the heating element. Remove and clean the black leftovers to keep your oven cooking efficiently during your festive feasts.

Give seasonal gifts. ‘Twas the night before your holiday dinner and your self-cleaning oven fails, leaving you having to replace the fireside stockings with your uncooked turkey. Ovens have a tendency to fail during or soon after a self-cleaning cycle, so gift early and schedule the cleaning before the holidays to avoid a table full of hungry relatives.

Heat up the holidays. Dreaming of a winter wonderland outside and not in your oven? Make sure your oven is baking efficiently by seeing if the temperature on the dial matches the actual temperature inside the oven. The easiest solution is to check the oven with a digital oven thermometer. You can also buy a basic white cake mix and follow the directions exactly. If the cake is dry or undercooked, your oven temperature isn’t set correctly.

Up on the oven door, drip, drip, drip. If moisture is appearing on the outside of your oven, it probably means you have a faulty gasket. Gaskets maintain proper cooking temperatures and should be replaced at the first sign of a leak by a professional.

Deck the door with an oven light. Spread the holiday cheer by turning on lights in more places than your tree. An oven light can save cooking time and energy by letting you look inside rather than opening the door. If your light is out, replace the bulb or have a professional check the connection.

Give the gift that keeps on giving by deep cleaning your oven to keep your family healthy and jolly all season long. Happy baking to all, and to all a great oven.

Always, always use detergent made for high-efficiency (HE) machines, and use the minimum amount (more is not necessarily better). Regular detergents produce much more suds, and over time, can build up a film on the drum and hoses that become a breeding ground for mold, and may even mechanically or electronically damage a front-load machine. Read the label carefully — some detergents are marked “HE compatible,” but still produce lots of suds, which is difficult to rinse out as your high-efficiency machine uses less water, and therefore should not be used in your front-loader. We can’t stress this enough — in same cases, using the wrong detergent may even void your warranty.

Use less or forego liquid fabric softeners (one teaspoon will soften a whole load). Ditto for bleach (one tablespoon for concentrated bleach, two tablespoons for regular). Remember, high-efficiency machines use less water, so less product is needed.

Remove finished loads immediately. Do not let damp clothes sit in the machine (this provides an ideal breeding environment for musty smells and mildew). Care should be taken to ensure pets or children don’t climb in.

When not in use, leave the door of the washer ajar, to improve air circulation inside the machine and to prevent the buildup of mold and mildew.

Clean out the washer door’s rubber seal thoroughly with a half-half solution of water and vinegar regularly. Use Q-Tips for hard-to-clean areas. Remove any bits of hair or fabric you may find — these trap odors, sludge and provide a wonderful home for mold. Wipe the inside of the drum with this solution as well.

For a monthly cleaning session, pour some distilled white vinegar instead of laundry detergent into the dispenser, and add one cup of baking soda directly into the drum as well (this will neutralize the pH, but provide a scrubbing action). Run the machine on the hottest cycle, plus an extra rinse. For extreme cases of mildew-y smells, replace vinegar with bleach and run a few quick cycles with hot water. If there’s a self-cleaning cycle, follow your manual’s instructions on how to use it.

Clean out the drain pump filter every few weeks or whenever you notice problems with water drainage, excessive vibrations, wet clothes after the final spin, longer than usual cycle time, or unusual pauses during a wash cycle. Hair, fabric, and other various bits can get clogged up in the drain pump filter, leading to sluggish drainage of water. The drain pump filter’s location varies by machine (check your manual for details) but it is usually located at the front and bottom of the machine behind a small trapdoor.

Ensure that the spin speed you select is appropriate for the load you are washing — higher spin speeds may mean drier clothes prior to putting them in the dryer, but also means extra wear and tear on the machine’s inner parts, potentially shortening its lifespan.

For most families, the kitchen oven can be one of the hardest working appliances in the house. And while most of us love to “set it and forget it”, the truth is that both kitchen range ovens and wall ovens need occasional oven repair or maintenance. Here are a few of the most common oven maintenance and repair tasks, along with tips for oven troubleshooting that can help make sure your oven delivers a perfect meal every time.

Check the oven temperature. Home chefs who suspect their oven is not playing by the rules and keeping the right temperature should first verify that the oven’s built-in thermostat is working properly. This is easily accomplished with a separate oven thermometer. Set the oven temperature and then compare the temperature of the thermometer with the set temperature. To get an accurate reading, let the oven cycle on and off at least three times, which takes at least 20 minutes.

“Most inexpensive dial thermometers sold in grocery stores as oven thermometers are generally not very accurate. To get a good reading, we recommend a glass-bulb thermometer,” “Also, don’t expect perfection. For example, if you’ve set your oven to 350 degrees, it is acceptable for the actual temperature to be 325-375 degrees. Most recipes provide a range of cook times with this in mind. And, don’t forget that altitude and humidity can affect cook time.”

Check oven door gaskets. The oven door has a gasket to keep heat inside the oven. Over time, these gaskets can become torn or deformed and this will allow heat to escape. Inspect gaskets to ensure they are in good condition and replace them as necessary, a fairly simple oven repair.

Check ovendoor hinges. If an oven door does not close properly, heat can escape. Make sure the door closes tightly and evenly. If it doesn’t, check for broken or bent door hinges or door springs, which should be replaced.

Check oven timer settings. There’s a tricky timer issue that has confused even the best of cooks. Many mechanical clocks and timers on ovens (those without digital LED displays) have a setting called “cook and hold.” If the clock is accidentally set to this position, the oven may not work at all until it is set back to normal. Consult the instruction manual to set the clock or timer correctly.

Running a Self-Cleaning Oven Cycle – Don’t wait til the last minute! If your oven is self-cleaning, clean it at least 2-4 weeks before a major holiday or other event where you plan to give it a good workout. Why? Because self-cleaning oven cycles are extremely stressful and if your oven is on the verge of break down, you don’t want it to break down just before your big plans and force you to go take out. Finding a service technician or even ordering parts and doing the oven repair job yourself is not something that can always be accomplished on short notice.

Clean the oven control panel. For an effective maintenance measure, clean your oven control panel. You can clean any porcelain stovetop or glass range/oven control panel with a non-abrasive cleanser or glass cleaner. Watch out for some “cream type” cleansers as they often have tiny abrasive particles in them, which can damage your stovetop or control panel.

Install a surge suppressor for your range and other major appliances. Most appliances today contain computer equipment as part of their design—these need to be protected from power surges. Don’t wait ‘til a power surge burns up your computer board – go ahead and get a surge suppressor as a preventive step. Check your manufacturer’s manual for other maintenance recommendations.

Change oven’s interior light bulb. Most ovens have an interior light. Oftentimes, the bulb has been burned out for so long you may not even realize that you have one. The light bulb is usually behind a small glass dome near the upper left or right side of the inside of the oven. Troubleshooting this oven repair requires you to remove the glass dome, usually by sliding a wire off of it, or rotating it counter clockwise to replace the bulb.

Replace any broken, or illegible oven knobs. Remove and clean range knobs with a non-abrasive cleaner. This will help to preserve the stenciling on the knob. Replace any broken or illegible knobs to make your range look new again.

Replace any other missing, broken or badly-stained range or oven parts. If your oven broiler pan is missing, or if it has gotten so soiled you can’t clean it anymore, your easiest oven repair might be to replace it with a high-quality, inexpensive unit.. Also examine oven drip pans and bowls. They serve to catch food and spills, they also help radiate heat back at the pan for better efficiency, and they protect you from accidentally touching internal components. It’s important never to cover them with aluminum foil. Many electric ranges short out due to the aluminum making a short circuit at the burner. And, the foil will cover the oven vent usually found at one of the burners. Try to clean the drip pans with a household non-abrasive cleanser. If they cannot be cleaned, you can replace them with universal pans and bowls.

Use your dishwasher regularly. It will help to prevent food and other debris from building up in there, reducing the need to clean it.

Run the dishwasher or wait until just after you’ve run it, then empty the dishwasher completely. Do the other steps with the dishwasher empty.

Check all the spinning arms. Look to make sure all the holes are open so that water can run through them freely. The hole in this photo has accumulated some debris.

Clear any debris out of the holes in spinning arms. Use fine pointed or needle-nose pliers if you have some. Otherwise, try a toothpick or something similar. Take care not to scratch anything if you’re using a tool with a metal point. If these holes are very small, bend a fine wire with a tiny hook on one end. Thread the wire through the opening most distal from the center of the arm. Each time you do this a small amount of debris will come out. This is time consuming. Another option is to drill a much larger hole at the end of the arm. Run the washer to eject the matter, then plug the bigger hole with a stainless steel screw.

Wipe around the edges of the door and around the gasket. This space doesn’t get washed during the dishwasher cycle. Use a damp cloth and, if you like, a bit of mild spray cleaner. An old toothbrush or other soft, household brush can help get into corners and up under the gasket.

Clean under the bottom of the door. In some dishwashers, this is a dead spot where water doesn’t go, so it can accumulate debris. Wipe this off.

Inspect the bottom of your dishwasher around the drain. There will be a grate or grill around it, under the arm. This is where wastewater goes. Look for debris clogging up this area. You shouldn’t have to clean this often if you’re careful about what you put in your dishwasher, but you should remove any solid matter that builds up, especially bits of paper, shards of broken dishes, gravel, etc. You may be able to pick up solid objects accumulated on the outside by hand. If you think stuff has gotten down inside, you’ll have to do some simple disassembly to get at it.

To remove accumulated debris, unplug the dishwasher. Look for a plug under your sink. Make sure to unplug the dishwasher and not the garbage disposal.

Carefully remove the screws, taking care not to drop them. The cover will lift off, leaving the area exposed. As you disassemble this section, take care to notice what you take off and where. Take photos along the way and set the pieces someplace safe, in the order they came off.

Place a piece of tape on the opening to prevent debris from getting in it as you clean it.

Use a cloth or your fingers to remove solid debris. Be careful of handling broken glass if that is part of what you find here.

Use a brush or a cloth to loosen and remove deposits.

Screw everything back together, doing the reverse of what you did to get it apart. Don’t over-tighten the screws, especially if they are going into soft plastic.

Plug the dishwasher back in.

Remove hard water deposits or scale, if needed. Run one cycle of your dishwasher empty, with a mild, food acid of your choice. Do this after you’ve done the other cleaning steps here, so that it will also take care of anything your cleaning missed or knocked loose. A “light” or short cycle is usually sufficient. Place powders into the detergent cup. Place liquids in a right-side-up cup or bowl in the top rack. Use whichever of the following is on hand or inexpensive:

Lemonade drink mix or lemon-flavored Kool-Aid mix. Don’t use strong colors that might stain. There is no need to add the sugar.

Remove mildew or mold with bleach. Run a separate cycle from any acid cleaners you have used and never mix bleach with other cleaners or with dishwasher detergent.

If mold and mildew is a problem, leave the dishwasher loosely open for a while after each cycle to allow it to dry out.

Avoid using bleach and detergents containing bleach if your dishwasher has a stainless steel interior or door.

Bleach is a very strong chemical, both on you and on your dishwasher, so use it sparingly and only when necessary.

Tackle rust stains.

Use a dishwasher-safe rust remover [2] for the stains themselves, but ask how they got there in the first place.

If the finish is chipping or flaking off the wire baskets in your dishwasher, try a paint-on sealant made just for dishwasher racks. Pull out the racks and check the bottoms, too. If the damage is severe or widespread (not just a few tines but all of them), see if you can replace the entire rack. Online stores sell a wide variety of appliance parts, so your replacement part may be very easy to find.

If your water has a lot of iron or rust in it, rust may be beyond your control. If possible, address the problem at its source. If the problem isn’t rusty pipes, water softeners can remove a limited amount of iron from water but they mostly work by exchanging minerals that are hard to clean off surfaces for salts that are relatively easy to clean. Filters do exist to remove iron from water and might be worth looking into if your water is extremely high in iron. [3]

Spray the front of your dishwasher with a mild spray cleaner of your choice and wipe it with a sponge or soft cloth. Pay particular attention to the controls and the handle. Also, don’t miss the little ledge between panels. It tends to collect dirt.

Refill your dishwasher’s rinse aid dispenser about once per month. Rinse aid helps to prevent spots on your dishes. Unscrew the round knob in the dishwasher door and pour in rinse aid according to package directions or your dishwasher’s manual. Depending upon your specific water chemistry, you may be able to substitute white vinegar for a “rinse aid.” Experiment and see if this is right for your dishwasher.

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I was really pleased with the appliance service I received yesterday. I would like to recommend Brian Vukson. He owns 5 Star Appliance Repair servicing the Schertz, Cibolo, and greater San Antonio, TX areas. If you need appliance repair, know that Brian is not about charging you for things you don't need, and he takes the time to explain what is happening with your appliances.